1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bone connector which is adapted to connect cut bone pieces.
2. Description of Related Art
For instance, in a surgical operation of the chest including the lungs and the heart, etc., a part of the ribs is usually cut and temporarily removed. After the surgical operation is completed, a piece of bone cut from the rib (referred to as a bone piece) is connected again to the associated rib.
To connect the cut ends of a bone piece and the associated rib, a wire (or biodegradable thread), or a metal or plastic connecting plate is usually used. In the connection using the wire, first, a ceramic pin is inserted in the marrow of the bone piece at the cut end thereof; second, a through hole is pierced in the vicinity of the cut end of the rib. Consequently, the cut end of the rib can be bound by the wire or the thread which is tied to the ceramic pin. The insertion of the ceramic pin and the tying and stringing operations are troublesome, however. Moreover, it is necessary to strip a substantial part of intercostal muscles in the vicinity of the cut ends of the ribs, which burdens a patient during the operation.
In the connection using the metal or plastic connecting plate, holes are pierced in the cut ends of both the bone piece and the associated rib, so that the connecting plate which lies along the outer surfaces of the bone piece and the associated rib is secured to the bone piece and the associated rib by securing pins which are inserted in the connecting plate and the holes of the bone piece and the associated rib to connect the bone piece and the associated rib.
In this method, it is also necessary to strip a substantial part of intercostal muscles in the vicinity of the cut ends of the ribs. Furthermore, the metal plate is heavy, and accordingly, increases the burden on a patient; and the plastic plate has less biocompatibility or bioaffinity with the surrounding tissue of the cut ends of the ribs.